Seeing Round Corners

What do the following Arsenal players have in common? Toure. Gallas. Senderos. Djourou. Adebayor. Baptista. It’s simple. They can all head the ball and if you were a defender you wouldn’t really want to track any of them at corners.

Now corners are really interesting. Interesting because in every game you always seem to get at least one. Interesting because when most teams are awarded them they automatically cross the ball in the air. It happens so often you would think it was compulsory.

The high probability of being awarded corners makes them well worth planning for, because with proper preparation you can influence the movement and positioning of defenders and thereby maximise your chances of successful strikes at goal. Of course, if you have several players who can really head the ball, the classic aerial attack, with all its possible variations, must be the cornerstone of that planning, but the alternatives (short corners, decoy runs and low crosses for instance) should also be thoroughly explored to prevent your tactics becoming predictable. And the high quality movement and shooting ability of several Arsenal players makes that an avenue well worth exploring.

Especially as lately the award of a corner to Arsenal has generated virtually no enthusiasm at all among spectators who have become resigned to the fact that defences invariably seem to have no trouble dealing with them.